Is this love?
by Patr0nus
Summary: Lief and Jasmine are both in love with each other but they don't know it. Jasmine tries to drive Lief out of her mind because she doesn't think Lief loves her back.
1. Deep Thoughts

**Chapter 1: Deep Thoughts**

Lief lay on his bed, thinking about the quest to obtain the Pirran Pipe. He thought of Jasmine and how brave she was….How much he loved her….But he knew he couldn't tell her. He knew she didn't feel the same. How did he know this, you may ask? Jasmine had been avoiding him and he didn't know why. His heart ached every time he thought about it. Lief had not slept for months. Jasmine was the only thing on his mind and he could barely handle the stress. He just wanted to be with her, to hold her, to calm her. But he couldn't. For she did not feel the same.

Jasmine was sitting high up in a tree, deep in thought. She thought about her feelings towards Lief and how she could control them. She loved Lief, that was certain, but she knew they could never be together. He knew he didn't love her, and he had been hanging out with a Toran girl named Josie. Every time she was with her, jealousy burned inside of Jasmine. Josie was beautiful, kind and caring, and Jasmine thought she was the opposite of that. She knew she had to get Lief out of her mind, to stop loving him. The only plan she had was to ignore him, and it was paining her like nothing ever had before.


	2. An Unexpected Talk

Lief decided to clear his head of Jasmine. It was currently midnight and he felt the only way to get her out of his head was to go for a midnight stroll. He just couldn't sleep and he was tired of lying in his bed. Lief threw open his bedroom door, stealthily crept down the palace steps, and carefully opened the grand palaces doors. As he opened the doors, a large wave of cool, fresh air met his face. He welcomed it happily as he continued to walk. Lief was so lost in thought about Jasmine that he lost all direction of where he was going and knocked into something hard.

'Ouch!' Lief cried out, pressing his hands to his face.

He looked up and saw Jasmine, her beautiful face shining in the moonlight.

'J-Jasmine?' Lief stammered. 'What are you doing here?' He asked, trying not to whimper at the pain growing in his face.

'I might ask you the same question!' Jasmine snapped rudely.

'No need to speak like that.' Lief said, rather annoyed at Jasmine's sudden rudeness.

'Whatever! I don't need to speak respectfully to you just because you happen to be the King of Deltora!' Jasmine yelled.

'Look I don't understand why you've been so distant from me lately! Can you please tell me why? I can't stand not talking to you!' Lief yelled a hint of desperation in his voice. Jasmine looked at him, her eyes showing sadness and love, instead of the coldness they had only seconds before.

'You wouldn't understand why.' Jasmine said, looking down at the ground.

'Then help me to.' Lief said, taking Jasmine's hand. As he took her hand, Jasmine looked angrily at him again,

'NO!' She yelled, yanking her hand free of his and running like the wind up to the palace. Him holding her hand has triggered anger inside of her because she loved him. Holding hands was a symbol of love, but Lief was only doing it to calm her. At least, that's what she thought. Jasmine stealthily crept back into the palace opened her bedroom door and then closed it. She fell onto her bed, leaned over and cried. She cried harder than she ever had before, pulling her pillow in close.

'Oh Lief, I wish you loved me! I know you love that Josie girl and you have every right to! She I everything I am not! Oh Lief, I can't stop thinking about you.' And with that, Jasmine rolled over, pulled her tear stained pillow closer, and slept.


	3. New Boy

Jasmine woke up the next morning feeling very groggy. She looked out of the window to see the sunlight pouring into her room. Jasmine sprang out of her bed, and walked to the window, feeling the glorious warmth of the sun. As she looked out of the window, she saw a carriage drawing towards the front gates. She saw a handsome boy with brown hair and dark eyes exit the carriage. He looked quite nervous as he approached the palace gates. The boy gave a sigh and opened them, closing his eyes.

Lief was dressed in his formal Kingly outfit. White robes trimmed with gold, and a very thin golden cloak hung loosely on his shoulders. Lief was waiting for a boy named Leo to enter the palace. Leo was rumoured to be a very shy boy, however although he was shy, he was very strong and loyal. He was about to have an interview with him to see if he was fit to be a palace guard. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

'Open the doors please, Jacob and Mandu.' Lief said to the two palace guards standing at the doorway. Jacob and Mandu pulled the large doors open, and a handsome boy with pale blue robes entered the room.

'You Majesty, it is an honour.' Leo said, bowing low.

'The pleasure is mine, I assure you.' Lief said, also bowing. 'Now, let me show you to the Chief of Palace guards, Barda.' Lief said, gesturing to Barda, who stood strongly in his dark blue robes trimmed with silver.

'Chief Barda, I hope to be of good service to you in the future.' Leo said, bowing.

'I'm sure you will be.' Barda said with a wide grin, bowing briefly to Leo. Suddenly loud echoing footsteps were to be heard from the doorway in front of them before the door crashed open. It was Jasmine, looking beautiful in robes of pale pink. Leo stared at her for a long moment before turning to Lief.

'Who is this? Is this one of you friends?' Leo asked politely.

'Indeed. This is Jasmine. She helped retrieve the gems to the belt of Deltora, and helped obtain the missing pieces to the Pirran Pipe.' Lief said with a small proud smile.

'An honour miss Jasmine. And I am Leo, I come from the North.' Leo said bowing very low. Jasmine stared transfixed at Leo for a few seconds before bowing herself.

'Nice to meet you Leo.'

'Now it is time to start your training! Follow me if you please!' Barda said in a low booming voice. Leo bowed briefly and followed.

'Who is that Leo boy that you dressed so nicely for?' Jasmine asked rather snappishly.

'Leo is from the North. He is training to be a palace guard.' Lief said, being very polite on purpose.

'HE is training to be a – palace guard? Haha no way! He is much too frail!' Jasmine said, amused.

'Don't be deceived by his kindness and shyness.' Lief said slowly. Jasmine stared at him for a few seconds, before exiting the room. Lief sighed, and sat down in his comfy chair.

'Oh what am I to do?' Lief gasped, putting his face into his hands.

As Jasmine left the room, her heart raced. She could barely be in a room with Lief. All she could think of was how much she loved him. It hurt to know that he did not feel the same. Jasmine made her way towards the kitchens and saw Sharn and the beautiful Toran girl that Lief was always with: Josie.

'Jasmine! How good it is to see you!' Sharn said, hugging Jasmine tightly. 'Would you like some tea and cakes?'

'That would be lovely thanks.' Jasmine said with a smile.

'Oh! I forgot to introduce you! This is Josie, she is from Tora!' Sharn said gesturing to Josie. Jasmine almost said that she knew who Josie was, but caught herself just in time. She was not meant to know who Josie was. She only knew because she spied on her and Lief spending time together, when she was up in the trees.

'Lovely to make your acquaintance.' Jasmine said forcing a smile, meanwhile feeling a surge of anger and jealousy.

'Oh I assure you the pleasure is mine!' Josie said sweetly. Jasmine highly felt like punching her in the face, but decided against it. After three cakes and a cup of tea, Jasmine decided to leave. She couldn't stand being in Josie's presence any longer. She politely excused herself, and ran outside. As she ran she thought of Lief; _I need to get him out of my head! He doesn't love me and I just need to live with it!_ Jasmine said to herself. She had run quite far, she was now in the territory of the Palace guards training field.

'Hey, Jasmine!' Barda called with a smile.

'Hey Barda!' Jasmine called.

'Hello Miss Jasmine' Called a sweet voice. Jasmine recognized him as the handsome boy called Leo.

'Oh, hello.' Jasmine said.

'Would you care to go on a walk with me? Training just finished and I need a little cool off.' Leo said, blushing slightly.

'Oh, sure.' Jasmine said a little uncertainly. As the time the two walked passed, Jasmine noticed how easy it was to talk to Leo. They laughed as they talked about each others adventures, smiled at the happy moments they shared and giggled as they teased the people they were friends with.

'Did they really describe you as a wild girl?' Leo asked in awe.

'yeah, haha. Now I'm more groomed. Sharn forced me to get a haircut last week! There was an important meeting.' Jasmine said with a giggle.

'Well… I don't understand how they called you a wild girl!' Leo exclaimed.

'Haha why not?' Jsmine asked with a laugh.

'Because well…Because…' Leo said, fidgeting.

'Just say it! I won't judge you!'

'Because you're beautiful.' Leo said staring into Jasmine's green eyes. Jasmine stared right back, amazed at what he said.


	4. Discoveries

As Lief walked around the palace for the next few weeks, he noticed how little he saw Jasmine. He searched endlessly, with little luck. Lief was so determined to find out where Jasmine was, that he started to neglect his other duties. The only times he saw Jasmine now, were at meal times, but even then she only ate for a short time before leaving. Lief, so desperate to find out what was so important to occupy Jasmine's time for so long, decided to follow her. That night, Lief lay in bed, listening out for the sound of Jasmine's door opening. Even though it was unlikely for Jasmine to leave at night, Lief couldn't run any risks, if he were to find out what Jasmine was up to. Finally, very early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Lief had heard the sound he had been most anxious to hear. Jasmines door creaked open, and the sound of her light feet were heard down the palace steps. Lief opened his own door and followed her. He followed her out of the palace and deep into the forest until they reached a large clearing. In the clearing was a hooded figure. Jasmine approached the figure, a large smile on her face. The figure lowered its hood and Lief gasped in horror and shock when he saw who it was. Leo, the palace guard.

Lief ran away in shock. He had not expected this. Lief's love for Jasmine burned so strongly, couldn't she feel it too? After they obtained the Pirran Pipe he thought she loved him a bit. He had told her that one day he would marry for love, he looked directly at her as if giving her a hint that he wanted more than anything to marry Jasmine, when the time came. Well Lief had obviously been wrong. Jasmine loved Leo and they would marry and have children. Lief couldn't bear the thought! He knew that without Jasmine, life wasn't worth living.

 _Live wasn't worth living…._ Lief shook his head at the thought and decided to look at what Jasmine and Leo were up to. He hated to spy, but he had to make sure that Leo was worthy of Jasmine's love.

Jasmine stared into Leo's eyes. They were hard to look away from. Leo had truly become a great friend to Jasmine over the past couple of weeks. She needed someone to help take her mind off of Lief. Leo took Jasmine's hand and led her into the forest. They talked and laughed as they always did, it was so easy for the two of them to talk, they got along so well. Suddenly a strange look came over Leo's face.

'Leo, what is the matter?' Jasmine asked worried.

'I…I planned to tell you something.' Leo said slowly.

'Well go on then!' Jasmine said with a small laugh.

'It is harder than I thought.' Leo said, his face falling.

'You can tell me anything!' Jasmine insisted.

'Okay…here it goes, then.'

Lief swung from vine to vine, trying to catch every word that Leo and Jasmine shared. _They get on so well, so easily!_ Lief thought, a pang of jealousy shooting through him. Lief swung from vine to vine, until Leo and Jasmine had stopped moving. The voices of Leo and Jasmine echoed through the forest.

'You can tell me anything!' Jasmine insisted.

'Okay…here it goes, then.' Leo finished, blushing. 'Ever since I met you I felt we had a special connection. And now that I've spent these first few weeks with you, I felt I've really gotten to know you, and…'

'And?' Jasmine asked

'And I love you.'

Lief stared as Leo leant in close to Jasmine. Lief, in such a deep shock, did not feel his hand slip off of the tree he was on.

Jasmine stared in shock as Lief finished his sentence. _He's loved me this whole time!_ Jasmine thought, amazed. Leo's face started to come closer to Jasmine's face, she could see every handsome detail in his face. Jasmine closed her eyes, but before anything happened she heard a large thump. Jasmine's eyes flew open.

'What was that?' Jasmine asked.

'I'm not sure.' Leo said, pulling his sword from its sheath. Jasmine and Leo walked in silence. Finally after twenty minutes Leo stopped.

'What is it?' Jasmine asked.

'A piece of cloth in that tree, see?'

'Er…'

'As a palace guard we are trained to notice every detail! This could be a clue!' Leo insisted.

'What kind of cloth is it?' Jasmine asked curiously. Suddenly, Leo froze. 'What is it, Leo?'

'This can't be…' He muttered.

'What is it?'

'It's…It's cloth from King Lief's cloak!' He said in disbelief. Jasmine froze. Time seemed to stand still.

'I – I don't understand.' Jasmine croaked. 'It's impossible. Are you certain it's his?'

'Only the king could have fabric as fine as this.' Leo said.

'So do you think he was spying on us?' Jasmine asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

'I'm afraid it's possible, unless someone put it there to frame him.' Leo said, furrowing his brow. Jasmine sighed and felt anger surged through her body.

'It's none of his business.' She said through clenched teeth.

'I know, but we will look into this, I promise. But for now…'

'But for now?'

'I want to resume what was about to happen five minutes ago.'


End file.
